


Ealdor’s Servant

by 107thInfantry



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, Awesome Gwen (Merlin), BAMF Merlin (Merlin), Ealdor, Fluff, Gen, King Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon Friendship (Merlin), Merlin is a Little Shit, Pining Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Merlin, Queen Gwen (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28855890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/107thInfantry/pseuds/107thInfantry
Summary: Merlin is a just common servant in Camelot. Everyone in Ealdor knows it. But then, why are a bunch of very strong looking knights clapping him on the back and sitting around the fire in his mother’s home? And is that a crown embroidered on one of their capes?Inspired by That’s His Name by ZiaraA, this story follows Merlin in Ealdor if he were much more careful about revealing his station near the king. The Ealdor episode did not happen in this AU and this is before the last episode’s magic reveal.
Relationships: Gwaine & Merlin (Merlin), Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Hunith & Merlin (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin & Will (Merlin)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 276





	Ealdor’s Servant

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [That's His Name](https://archiveofourown.org/works/785571) by [ZairaA](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZairaA/pseuds/ZairaA). 



Merlin walked into Ealdor with his head down. No sense in announcing his presence. He had left for a reason and had only come back to see his mother. It had been years, and their letters had been dull to say the least (letter interceptions were a statistical certainty this far outside of Camelot). 

So, after four years without him, Hunith knew very little about her son’s life other than that he was a servant to a kind although pratty nobleman and Giaus was helping the boy get his powers under control.

“Ma, I’m home,” Merlin said, peeking into the small building that they had called home. When had it gotten this small?

“My boy! Oh look how you’ve grown! They have been treating you well, haven’t they?” Hunith practically shouted as she hugged him. 

There was defined muscle all over Merlin that hadn’t been there when she had last seen him. His clothes were new despite the dirt on him. His hair was impossibly soft and the soles of his shoes were thick.

“Of course, Ma. I told you Arthur was a good man,” Merlin whispered.

“Who?”

“The king. I know I didn’t say, but it would have been a disaster if the letters were intercepted. I’m sure Arthur would excuse the insults, but if they had ever come for you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

Hunith had suspected something was missing from the letters, but this certainly hadn’t been her guess.

“You called him a prat! What kind of king would excuse that?” She whispered back like the walls had ears.

“A good one. A friend.” responded Merlin earnestly.

“And do you really think they would go after the mother of a servant? Silly boy.”

“Just keep it quiet, Ma”

“Okay. And I don’t want to see a lick of magic from you.”

Just then, Will bust into the room. “Merlin!”

“Will! How have you been?” Merlin said, embracing the man.

“Dude, you smell like lavender. What kind of servant are you?”

“The kind that is friends with the maids,” Merlin said, laughing and remembering that Gwen, the now queen, had insisted that his laundry was done with hers and Arthur’s to prevent the long trip to the servant’s laundry quarters. It had been years since she had been a maid, but it was still how he thought of her.

“My man!” Exclaimed Will. Cuffing Merlin on the head in a way that made him think of Arthur.

“Any lady friends?” Hunith asked, grinning.

“No.” Not since Freya, but there was no time for that. Merlin was home.

Over the next week, Merlin helped with just about every chore in the town. Years as a palace servant made him a jack of all traits as much as he wanted to deny it.

He caught an escaped horse with a rope and a bit of persistence, “used to be a stableboy.” (Partially true)

Made the best stew any of them had ever tasted. “Worked in the kitchens.” (If he meant stealing bread for the knights or cooking on hunts)

And mended a girl’s broken leg. “The physician needed an assistant for a while.” (His mother smiled at that one)

When his visit came to an end, there was something in the town’s eyes when they looked at Merlin that had never been there before. Respect? Acceptance? 

Just as Merlin turned to begin the journey back to Camelot, a shout came from behind him. “Has anyone seen the King’s servant? He’s been shirking on his duties.” Damn it. Merlin knew that voice. Gwain was here, and from the sound of the horses, so were the rest of the knights, Arthur, and perhaps a servant.

“No one like that here,” said an older man.

“Damn it Perceval, give me the map,” said Gwain 

“You girls better stop fighting or I’ll tell the King,” said Gwen. Gwen was here!

“Deal with them yourself,” answered Arthur

The older man spoke again, “but if you want a servant, Merlin might do a pretty good job.”

“Ha. I told you I read the map right! Which house, sir?”

“The one at the edge of town with the straw roofing.”

Merlin braced himself.

“Merlin!” shouted Arthur when he spotted him.

When Merlin turned, he saw them in all their glory, chain mail, red capes, and my god, white horses. What dumb stable boy had given them white horses? The red capes were bad enough. Add a white horse and you’d be spotted a mile off.

Gwen was dressed in a servant’s attire. “Gwen is a horrible cook,” said Gwain, “we’ve come to plead for you back.”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Get inside before you cause too much commotion,” said Merlin, motioning themselves inside his mother’s house. It was an odd sight, seven bright white horses in the king’s colors tied up to a tree next to Merlin’s house. He was definitely going to have to talk to the stable boy.

Hunith was sitting by the fire crying softly when they entered. “Mom, a few guests showed up. Do you mind if they stay for dinner?”

“Sure,” she said, turning at the sound of chain mail.

The knights crammed in, sitting on the floor like children. 

“Nice place,” Arthur offered.

“Thanks,” said a stunned Hunith.

A disgruntled looking Gwen brought in several rabbits. “Show some more respect, guys,” she turned to Merlin, “we brought some rabbits to cook.”

“Would have gotten more if Leon could shut his mouth.”

“It was definitely you shifting on your horse.”

“You can barely ride. Shut it.”

“I could outride you all.”

Merlin had missed this banter. It didn’t stop as his mother cooked.

Finally, Arthur spoke, “Hey, Merlin. How come no one knew you were my servant?”

“Too dangerous,” answered Merlin.

“You’re horrible at keeping secrets!” continued Arthur. Lancelot almost snorted. 

“Not when they protect my family”

Just then, Will came barreling through the door. “They said there were knights in your house,” he said, panic on his face. He obviously thought this was about sorcery.

Merlin shook his head. “They’re friends.”

“Okay then.” He smelled the stew. “Mind if I stay?”

“Sure,” said Arthur before Merlin could answer. It was force of habit, but Will looked to Merlin for a nod before he sat next to Gwen.

“So, how’s life picking up the messes of knights?” Will asked Gwen while the others talked. Only then did she realize that she was dressed as a servant.

“Not nearly so easy as one would think it is. But, I’m the queen, so I suppose I pick up a more political type of mess. Merlin would have to be asked about the literal ones.”

“Why would the queen come on a trip with knights?” Will laughed.

“Merlin is a friend, and the blonde one is the king.” 

“But you’re dressed like a commoner. I wouldn’t expect a disguise that good from a noble woman.” Will was trying to quickly wrap his head around this whole thing. Merlin knew THE king and queen?

“They’re some old clothes. I used to be a maid, actually.” That was when Will smelled the lavender on her.

The night went well. There was laughter and singing and a lot of complements on the stew that wasn’t nearly as good as Merlin’s.

The next day, they left at dawn. Merlin sat side saddle in front of Arthur cursing that damn stable boy for not thinking of sending another horse. Arthur didn’t seem to mind as they chatted about the past week apart. Who knew that Arthur could escape robbers on his own? (the protection spell probably helped) 

Everyone in Ealdor repeated but never believed that the knights had lost the king’s servant and taken Merlin back to Camelot because they were going anyway. The way Arthur messed Merlin’s hair betrayed them among other things. For the rest of her life, Hunith was asked for parenting advice. Whenever Merlin returned, his help was asked for on a number of things, but the king was never mentioned.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like it! I didn’t think that Merlin would brag about knowing Arthur, but I really liked the other fic, so I wrote another version. Check out That’s His Name by ZiaraA. It’s amazing!


End file.
